happenings.com | Fitness 46 February 2011 Keeping your Motivation & your Resolve through the Practice of Yoga by Tony Bishop, E-RYT Hometown Banking. ere is a Difference. www.SouthCentralBank.com Area Locations Include: Bowling Green 270.782.9696 1757 Campbell Lane • 805 Lehman Avenue 5251 Scottsville Road • 3505 Louisville Road 2710 Nashville Road • 1709 31-W Bypass Franklin 270.586.9696 204 S. Main Street Experience the difference. As you think about your favorite activity, what is the first thing that happens? You probably smile. Yes, either physically and externally, or in your mind, you smile as this favorite activity brings you joy, confidence, peace, and even a feeling of belonging and community. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? For many, that feeling comes only at your place of worship. But there is a common thread I have found among my own friends and family in church, work, leisure, play or physical exercise: Desire and motivation. One of my favorite people in the world, Bill Tinsley, always said, “You can have all the can-do you could imagine, but you’ll never get anywhere without the want-to.” Bill is a retired newspaper publisher with whom I had the pleasure of working for many years, and his quote has stayed with me for a long time. He is exactly right. What you desire is what you become. For the past 15 years, I have practiced yoga on a near-daily basis and sometimes for long periods during those days. I have found yoga to be the best activity for physical healing and effective exercise, but more than these I have experienced the calming and mental clarity which are so greatly improved through proper yoga practice. Personally, I happen to be a Christian who teaches and practices yoga, and although I will discuss spiritual aspects and misconceptions in a coming yoga article, that is not my intent here. I simply wish to recognize a connotation of “spirituality” to which some practitioners refer, one I have also experienced. I understand this phenomenon as the calm, peace, the feeling of a loving heart, and connection to others around you after a great yoga class... it’s in essence very similar to that feeling after a great church service. It is rather euphoric, as you feel cleansed and renewed. Although being aware of where you are in your spiritual life is a completely separate and personal issue for you, being aware of your body and mind is the key to a great experience in yoga. And this awareness is what separates yoga from any and all traditional (especially Americanized) exercise and exclusively physical activities. This is also the key to keeping your resolve and your personal motivation. Yoga is a much deeper experience than simply doing a few sets of crunches, a weight-lifting routine, a nice run in the cool air or a brisk walk at the mall. These are all excellent things to do, and I have done them all (and still do). I love to move my body. It gets the endorphins and the adrenalin activated within, and brings about the “exercise high” which just feels wonderful! This is why we keep working out and putting ourselves through a difficult routine. Other than looking better, the feeling we have mentally and physically is most motivating. So here we go. Let’s get started on a journey which will keep us motivated and excited, and feeling great all year. Try yoga. Not just once. Try practicing yoga on a regular basis, for an extended period of time.As with any worthwhile thing that you do, your mental attitude and approach are of utmost importance. Once or twice in a yoga class and then shrugging, “It’s just not for me,” is very unfair to yourself and such a tragic end to the potential you have in the future. Just relax, smile, take a deep breath and try the following: --- First, choose a yoga class with which you feel comfortable. Yoga is becoming more available at health clubs, yoga studios, schools (college, high school and elementary), civic clubs and even churches. Do a little research regarding your choice so you will know what the approach of the class will be and what results to expect. --- Enter the class with a smile and an open mind. You are in a good place if you have researched the class previously and know where you are. --- Be very, very, very patient. With yourself, the practice and the yoga instructor. Don’t expect instant gratification. Yoga is a process, similar to healthy weight loss. You don’t expect to lose 45 pounds in your first weight control meeting; don’t expect to find perfect postures and peace of mind in your first yoga class. --- Be prepared to work on your mental approach to this experience. So many new yoga participants go to classes and will talk about what a “great workout” it was, and they will be the first ones to rush out of the yoga room after class, and always seem to be in a hurry to get the class over so they can dash to their phone to check their new text messages. This is where yoga is so different, and can be so much deeper than a “workout.” It starts with controlling your mind and body in a new way. You become more responsible in improving your well-being. As you realize how involved you are in your own practice, you slowly will become more motivated and more confident. --- Awareness is your new favorite word. While many of us like to be distracted from hard work in exercise by using earphones and television monitors, yoga is much more centered... As with the world’s top athletes, such as Lance Armstrong, awareness of every movement and every breath becomes important for optimal